Local Little League teams advance in TOCs

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The Grass Valley Junior-Division Yankees bought another day of baseball Sunday, beating the Sierra Foothill Cubs, 5-4, to advance in the Tournament of Champions.

In a little league battle that came down to the end, it was the Yankees persevering behind strong pitching and several offensive contributors.

Grass Valley pitcher Jon Weaver threw the first 4 2/3 innings, allowing just two hits and one unearned run while striking out four. Kyle Felhauber pitched the next 1 2/3 innings before Ty Trathen closed the game out with a pair of strikeouts.

In the victory, the Yankees had three players tally two hits each and five players account for RBIs. Jace Wheeler and Tanner Wirick each accounted for a pair of hits and an RBI and Weaver chipped in a pair of base knocks.

Trathen, Felhauber and Ty Smethers accounted for the other Yankee RBIs. Felhauber had the only extra base hit for Grass Valley with a double.

In a game that was scoreless until the fourth, it was Trathen getting the Yankees going with an RBI single. The Yankees added two more in the fifth with RBI hits from Felhauber and Wirick. The Cubs answered with two in the bottom of the fifth, but Grass Valley plated two more in the sixth to get the insurance they needed to hold off Sierra Foothills.

The win advances the Yankees to Wednesday’s 6 p.m. matchup with Rocklin in Rocklin. The Little League Tournament of Champions is a single-elimination tournament.

Minors: Nevada City Blue Jays 13, Sierra Foothills Angels 4

The Nevada City Blue Jays’ offense showed up and powered them to a nine-run victory over the Sierra Foothill Angels Sunday.

The Blue Jays’ Tristan Smith was impressive both at the plate and on the mound, going 3-for-3 with a bat in his hands and pitching four innings of one-run baseball from the slab.

Blue Jays second basemen Corey Ellis also went 3-for-3 from the plate, including a double.

Shortstop Derek Hicks added a bases-loaded clearing triple and Seth Huntington went 2-for-3 with a double that reached the fence.

Providing a strong game defensively was London Wallace both behind the plate as a catcher and at first base.

The Blue Jays hit the diamond again at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Coaches may submit game reports by email at sports@theunion.com or by phone at 530-477-4232. deadline for submission is 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 5 p.m. Sunday.